Jim Ross speaks highly of MJF.
MJF returned to AEW at AEW Double or Nothing after he had been sidelined for the first few months of 2023 due to injury. Since then, he has reestablished himself as one of AEW's top stars.
Speaking on his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross was asked to discuss MJF's return and what it meant for AEW.
“I’m a fan of his. He’s like any other young guy, he’s just gotta mature. He’s talented as hell. Don’t know where all he’s headed, what his stops along the way are going to be, but I’m glad he’s on our team. He’s very underrated in a lot of ways, but he gets a lot of publicity, he gets a lot of credit, and for that, I’m happy for him. There’s no bigger fan in wrestling than MJF. He’s a fan of the business. He’s a fan of the product. I know there was a lot of speculation that he was going to leave and go to WWE, and thank goodness that didn’t happen. But I’m a big fan of his. He’s like any other young kid. He’s gotta mature, he’s gotta come along. His age has gotta catch up with his experience. He’s very bright, very, very bright. Sometimes I think that he misuses his clout a little bit. I mean that he needs more patience with himself, and he needs to understand that it’s not always about him, but it is more often than not. He’s really good, he’s very talented. I just think that he’s gotta slow down sometimes and enjoy the journey, and not be…I don’t know how to put this. I think sometimes he’s impatient, he needs to take a deep breath and enjoy his journey. If he did, he’d probably have a better overall experience. But he’s got a lot of ability. He’s smart. He’s an important part of our team, very important part of our team. I just think he could enjoy wrestling a little bit more than he does. He’s very cerebral, he’s a thinker. But I’m all for him. He’s a talented kid. I think sometimes he could have more fun, and sometimes he uses his judgment in a somewhat…not self-serving, but he can have more fun. He could have more fun and not take everything so seriously because he’s really, really talented. I think he’s terrific. He’s a hell of a guy. I’m all for his success. He’s very valuable, he’s one of our MVPs without a doubt. I like the kid, he’s fun to be around. Keeps you on your toes, he’s smart. He just needs to have more fun," MJF said.
Ross encouraged MJF to stop and smell the barbeque sauce, and he also reiterated that MJF reminded him of a young Paul Heyman, as they’re both students of the game.
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